Aphorisms of justification, with their explication annexed wherein also is opened the nature of…Aphorismes of justification, with their explication annexed wherein also is opened the nature of…

EXPLICATION.

I Know this will hardly down with many. But I know nothing can be said against it, but by denying the Antecedent, viz. That Faith as it Accepteth Christ for Lord and King doth Justify. But that I have proved before. If it be one Faith, and have the Object entirely propounded as one, and be one entire ⟨p. 184⟩principal part of the Covenants Condition; then sure it cannot be divided in the work of Justifying. This may be easily apprehended, if men will but understand these three things. 1. That Faith is no Physical or natural proper Receiving of Christ at all: But merely a moral Receiving though performed by a Physical Act of Accepting: For thy Will doth not naturally touch and take in the person of Christ; That is an impossible thing, whatsoever the Transubstantiation, men may say: (Though the Essence of the Godhead is every where.) 2. That this accepting which is a Moral Receiving doth not, nor possibly can, make Christ ours immediately and properly, as it is a Receiving; But mediately and improperly only: The formal cause of our interest, being Gods Donation by the Gospel Covenant. 3. That this Covenant maketh a whole entire Faith its Condition: A Receiving of whole Christ with the whole soul: It is, as Amesius, Actio totius hominis; And if the Covenant do make Christ as King, the object of that Faith which is its Condition, as well as Christ, as a Deliverer or Priest; Then may it be as fit a Medium for our Justification, as the other.

I Know this will hardly down with many. But I know nothing can be said against it, but by denying the Antecedent, viz. That Faith as it Accepteth Christ for Lord and King doth Justifie. But that I have proved before. If it be one Faith, and have the Object entirely propounded as one, and be one entire ⟨p. 184⟩principall part of the Covenants Condition; then sure it cannot be divided in the work of Justifying. This may be easily apprehended, if men will but understand these three things. 1. That Faith is no Physicall or naturall proper Receiving of Christ at all: But meerly a morall Receiving though performed by a Physicall Act of Accepting: For thy Will doth not naturally touch and take in the person of Christ; That is an impossible thing, whatsoever the Transubstantiation, men may say: (Though the Essence of the Godhead is every where.) 2. That this accepting which is a Morall Receiving doth not, nor possibly can, make Christ ours immediately and properly, as it is a Receiving; But mediately and improperly onely: The formall cause of our interest, being Gods Donation by the Gospell Covenant. 3. That this Covenant maketh a whole entire Faith its Condition: A Receiving of whole Christ with the whole soul: It is, as Amesius, Actio totius hominis; And if the Covenant doe make Christ as King, the object of that Faith which is its Condition, as well as Christ, as a Deliverer or Priest; Then may it be as fit a Medium for our Justification, as the other.